smith



I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

REUBEN A. SMITH, OF EAST WEABE, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

TOY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 239,869, dated April 5,1881.

Application filed March 9, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, REUBEN A. SMITH, a Vcitizen of the United States, residing at East Weare, in the county ofHillsborough and State of New Hampshire, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Toys; and I do hereby declare the following to bea full,'clear, and exact description of the invention, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to theletters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part ofthis specification.

My invention relates to my gymnasts, or that class of toys which consistof jointed figures attached, by means of suitable cords, to a lightspring-frame, so that they may be caused to perform somersaults or otheracrobatic evolutions by pressure upon the lower ends of the frame, ashereinafter more fully described.

In the annexed drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the toy Figs.2 and 3 show the manner of attaching the figures to the spring-frame.Fig. 4 shows sections on the lines w w and g y, and Fig. 5 is a view ofone of the attaching-arms.

A A represent two bars or. levers that are connected near their lowerends by a wire spring, B, that forms a brace and fulcrum for the sidebars. This spring-brace is bent or twisted around each side bar, and isattached by its ends entering a small aperture in the bar.

The upper ends of the levers or bars A are each provided with averticalslot, a, for securing the cord 0 on which the figures are strung. Thesefigures D are formed from thin pieces of wood, pasteboard, or othersimilar light material, the body and limbs being of any fanciful orgrotesque outline, and connected by joints or pivots in the usualmanner,so as to move freely upon each other. The ends or hands of thearms at are provided with a central aperture, e, and with notches ff cutin opposite edges.

In attaching the figures to the frame, the cord 0 is first secured inthe slot a to one of the side bars or levers, A. It is thenattached toone of the arms d, by passing it through the aperture 0, and securing itin one of the notches f, after which it is passed loosely through theaperture in the other arm. If only one figure is to be used the cordafter being secured to the slotted end of the opposite lever is thenreversed and again attached, as before described. When two fig- 5 5 uresare employed, as shown in the drawings, the cord passes loosely throughthe central arms, and is secured to the outer ones in the manner abovedescribed. Instead of forming the arms d with a central aperture andside6o notches, the latter may be dispensed with, and three apertures madethrough the ends of the arms, the cord being attached, however, in thesame manner as when the notches are emj ployed. The figures are thussecured to the cord O in such a way that they will revolve around it andperform various comical evolutions when slight pressure is made on thelower ends of the levers AA, so as to cause them to approach and recedefrom each other.

By providing the side bars or levers with vertical slots at their upperends for the attachment of the cords, and connecting the bars below by aspring-brace or fulcrum, as described, the parts may be made muchlighter than ordinary withoutimpairingtheir strength. This manner ofconstruction also adds to the elasticity of the parts and effectsconsiderable economy in material.

Having thus described my invention, what Iclaim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The jointed figures D,provided with arms 01, having apertures e, andnotches ff, in com bination with the cord 0, levers A A, having verticalslots at a, and spring B, substantially as specified.

I 2. The combination of the levers A A, having vertical slots a a,spring B, cord G, and

figures D D, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

REUBEN A. SMITH.

Witnesses A. R. BROWN, PHILIP MAURO.

